Great Western Railway (GWR) services in Hereford and Worcester will be disrupted next week, as engineers carry out essential work.
Network Rail will be replacing the tracks between Evesham station and Worcester Shrub Hill station, which had its historic canopies restored last year.
Details of disruption
The work will impact on GWR services between Evesham and Hereford, and between Cheltenham Spa and Worcester Foregate Street, from Monday 22 until Friday 26 April:
- Trains will run between London Paddington and Evesham via Oxford.
- Trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Worcester will terminate at Gloucester, from where passengers can join other train services running between Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa.
- CrossCountry will operate services between Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Ashchurch for Tewkesbury and Worcestershire Parkway.
- West Midlands Railway will operate train services between Worcester Foregate Street and Hereford.
- Buses will replace trains between Worcester Foregate Street and Evesham or Cheltenham Spa, with a bus running every hour on each route.
- All parking bays in Evesham station car park will be suspended from midnight on Thursday 18 to midnight on Friday 26 April
Network Rail plans further engineering work is on this route in the summer and in the autumn:
- Monday 12 to Thursday 15 August – Charlbury to Moreton-in-Marsh
- Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 October – Evesham to Worcester Shrub Hill
Up-to-date information is available on the GWR website.
“This improvement work forms part of an ongoing programme of maintenance, helping to ensure that we can continue to provide consistent and reliable services.
“GWR will provide rail replacement services between Evesham or Cheltenham Spa and Worcester Foregate Street.
“Ticket acceptance has also been agreed to enable customers to travel on other train services between London and Worcester or Hereford instead.
“However, these alternative travel arrangements via Birmingham or Bristol Parkway will make journey times much longer, so please check before you travel.”
Billy White, GWR Station Manager for Oxford, Didcot and North Cotswolds
“We'd like to thank passengers for their patience while we carry out this essential track replacement in the North Cotswolds.
“Once complete, this vital work will enable continued safe and reliable services to run on this popular route for years to come.”
Mark Parker, Lead Portfolio Manager for Network Rail
The canopy refurbishment at Worcester Shrub Hill is not complete. Work to reinforce the parts of the supporting pillars below ground is possibly finished as is the replacement glazing. The hoardings are removed but painting hardly started.